The pro-Russian telegram channel "Russian Community ZOV" published their letter to the Ministry of Defense. They describe their concern about how fighters participating in the "Special operation" are treated.
My translation:
Russian Community Intervenes for the Wounded Volunteers
Initially, we did not want to publicize our work. We were afraid of damaging the special operation and lowering morale. /1
But today, there are already stories in the press from wounded fighters who took part in the Special Military Operation (SMO) as contractors of the BARS system. /2
❗️❗️❗️We have collected almost two dozen stories of people who were in the Military base (we do not specify the number - everyone knows everything there) formed in Rostov-on-Don and who were wounded and now find themselves thrown out into the street. /3
Together with the Interregional Public Organization "Union of Paratroopers," we ask everyone to distribute an open appeal to the Chief Military Prosecutor and the Ministry of Defense: /4
"We are receiving numerous appeals from contract servicemen who have been wounded in the 2022 SMO zone. Basically, these are service members who voluntarily signed contracts with BARS and Redut units.
The main complaints of the servicemembers are that: /5
1. Contract service members are not given their copy of the contract or its copy, explaining that they can get their copy after completing the contract at the military enlistment office at their residence. /6
This violates service members' rights, who have no complete information about the contract terms and are forced to take recruiters' word for it. /7
2. Contract service members, who have been wounded in the zone of the SMO, are not paid all the payments due to them, established by the contract, insurance payments, and payments additionally determined by the President of Russia. /8
This violation is widespread, confirmed by personal accounts of service members and photocopies of documents available in the editorial office. 3. 3. Military hospitals refuse to register the wounds of military contract service members to issue Certificates of Form 100. /9
They often reduce the damage from wounds by transferring them to the category of chronic age-related diseases or by replacing their degree of severity. So, for example, they fix closed wounds instead of fractures or osteochondrosis instead of a concussion. /10
Concussions have become the most unrecordable injury - certificates for contusions are refused to be given to practically all service members. /11
4. Cases of untreated wounded men discharged from hospitals without documents or money to go to their place of residence have become widespread! /12
People are forced to spend the night at public transport stops, train stations, and random acquaintances, begging and asking for money to travel to their place of residence and further treatment. /13
5. When contract service members are issued a military ID card, it usually does not contain service marks in the SMO zone. /14
Considering the absence of their contract copy, contract service members cannot restore the documents since the military registration and enlistment offices at the place of residence do not know where to send requests - no unit numbers and other data are available. /15
Thus, contract service members find themselves deprived of all their rights. /16
6. Contract service members, who were wounded in the zone of the SMO and arrived at their place of residence, are denied further treatment in military hospitals at their place of residence, referring to the fact that they are not servicemen. /17
Taking into account all of the above, we earnestly ask you to sort out this situation, namely:
- to restore the rights of all participants of combat operations who served under the contract in the zone of the SMO in 2022, restoring all necessary documents for this purpose; /18
- To provide complete treatment to all contract servicemen who were wounded in the SMO zone, to conduct a full medical examination of each of them to identify and record all wounds and their degree of severity; /19
- Ensure the full payment of all benefits promised to servicemen and servicewomen under contracts, insurance payments for wounds, and payments established by a special presidential decree; /20
- to provide payments to the families of deceased contract servicemen, which were due to the deceased contract service members, taking into account the insurance payments; /21
- identify those responsible for the gross violations of the rights of the contracted service members who voluntarily entered the SMO zone and bring them to justice as established by law. /22
A story of a Russian soldier. He tells about how he invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but shortly after receiving an agitation leaflet, he surrendered and joined the Freedom of Russia Legion of AFU.
Why did this happen? Why, as a matter of fact, did I become a military man? I'm a young father who recently became one the last summer. And I realized that in the backwoods of Russia, it's a particular luxury, a great luxury, to support a family. /1
But my comrades kept telling me that getting a little bit more in the armed forces was possible. So I kept walking around, thinking about it. /2
The first time Russia tried to annex Ukrainian territories. THREAD
In 2022, we have often heard about Snake Island. There is another island that has been occupied since 2014 and which Russia tried to occupy in 2003. Its name is Tuzla.
As always, we need to look at the background of the situation. Geography and history of the island matter.
The island is situated between Crimea and Krasnodar Krai (Russia). /1
Tuzla Island was formed when the spit that continued the Taman peninsula (Russia) suffered from massive erosion during a major storm in 1925. The island is 6 km long and 600 m wide. /2
Many have been writing about "ordinary Russians" and that the #visaban is bad. So far, I have not seen a survey where less than 70% would NOT support the war. For example, a Russian volunteer in AFU states that 90% of his surrounding supports the invasion. /2
If we use a very simplistic calculation, the majority of the people that will come to Europe are those who support the war. A week ago, I saw a Russian man dressed in Soviet and Russian symbolics in Warsaw airport. I am afraid he is one of that 70-90 % that support the war. /3
PART 2 of the Interview with a Russian volunteer with a call sign "Maestro" who fights in an artillery unit in AFU. He came from Siberia to join the AFU. Video published on Solonin Mark Solonin Youtube channel.
Text is also available here: wartranslated.com/part-2-intervi…
(I): So there are a lot of questions, but let's move on to not ours. What can you say about them? You've been fighting there for more than a month. Do they have their anger too, or are they forced to fight there? /1
(M): I mean, the closest contact battle we had was somewhere about 500 700 meters. It was like an exception. There was a tank, and the infantry fought it off. So I did not have direct contact so that I could touch it, touch it with my hands, feel and be a part of it. /2